Device for use in searching for golf balls and similar articles



' Mar. 13; 193 I w. POWE RS. DEVICE FOR USE 'm'smcmms Fun-eon BALLS AND SIMiLAR ARTICLES} 'FILED JAN. 24,1921- Patented Mar. 13,1223.

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WALTER POl/VERS, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR USE IN SEARCHING FOB GOLF BALLS AND SIMILAR' AB TIGLES.

Application filed January 24, 1921. Serial No. 433,436.

T 0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, VVALTER Pownns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Bliddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Use in Searching for Golf Balls and Similar Articles, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which is appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to devices for use in searching for golf balls and similar articles.

Golf balls are frequently lost by landing in long grass or other places along the cours where the ball is likely to be hidden from view as it finally comes to rest. In searching for a ball that has landed in such places, the player usually travels back and forth or in circles over a certain area of ground within which he believes the ball has come to rest, but as no suitable means has heretofore been provided for guiding him in the search, he is liable to retrace his steps many times and not be able to cover the area of ground thoroughly within the time prescribed by the rules of the game.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device for use in searclr ing for a golf ball or similar article which enables the user to thoroughly search over an area of ground in a minimum length of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and which when not in use may be easily arranged in a compact unit so that it may be conveniently carried, if desired, in the pocket of a golf bag or similar receptacle. 7

The several features of the invention will be clearly understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: V

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly diagrammatical, of the: improved device while it is being used in searching for a golf ball; Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the device when assembled to enable it to be conveniently carried; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of the device when assembled, with a guiding cord that constitutes a component part of the de-.

vice removed; and Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, of a stake forming a component part of the device.

The device as illustrated in the drawings is provided with a stake 2 comprising a shank 4 having one end pointed and its other end provided with a head 6. The head 6 is secured to the shank by means of a screw 8, and the upper end-of the shank is provided with a collar 10 which is spaced from the head to form a bearing for a swivel 12. The swivel is provided with a collar 14 to engage the bearing formed on the stake between the head 6 and the collar 10, and the swivel is also provided with an eyelet 16 to which one end of a cord 18 is secured. The cord 18 is provided with a series of equally spaced loops 20 of suitable size to enable the upper end of the shaft of a golf club to be inserted therein. The device is further provided with a reel 22 comprising a tubular spindle 24, having one end closed, adapted to receive the shank of the stake, as shown in Fig. 3. A flange or collar 26 is formed on the closed end of the spindle and a collar 28 is formed on the spindle midway of its ends, the collars 26 and 28 and the portion of the spindle between them forming a spool upon which the cord may be wound as shown in Fig. 2, the upper portion of the spindle serving as a. handle.

In the use of the device the reel is removed from the stake and the stake is driven or pressed into the ground by the foot of the user, or a suitable implement may be pro vided for this purpose. A sufficient length of cord is then unwound from the reel to enable the end of the shaft of a golf club to be inserted in the first loop 18 of the cord as illustrated in Fig. 1. The searcher then,

while holding the reel in one hand and the golf club in the other, may traverse acircular path about the stake, the stretch of cord extending from the stake to the first loop serving as a guide. After completely encircling the stake, additional cord may be unwound from the reel of sufficient length to enable the end of the golf club shaft to be inserted in the next loop formed in the cord, whereupon the searcher may again encircle the stake, the stretch of cord extending from the stake to the second loop serving as the guide. It will be apparent that the searcher by thus utilizing the stretches of cord extending from the stake to the succesto unwind the cord as the area of ground is progressively covered, and that when the search has been completed, the cord may be readily wound up on the reel and the stake inserted in the tubular spindle of the reel to form a compact unit which may be conveniently carried in the pocket of the golf bag, the reel serving as a shield for the shank of I the stake.

The nature and scope of the present in- ,vention having been indicated and a device embodying the several features of the invention in their preferred form having been specificallydescribed, what is claimed is 1. A device for use in searching for a golf ball having, in combination, a stake to be driven into the ground, a swivel mounted on the stake constructed to turn freelyabout the stake, a cord having one end attached to the swivel and provided with a plurality of spaced loops to enable the end of the shaft of a. golf club. to be inserted successively in the loops to'guide the searcher in traversing inprogressively increasing circles about the stake as a center, and a reel for winding up the cord having van axial bore to receive the shank of the stake when the device is not in use. a

I 2. A device for use in searching for a golf ball having, in combination, a stake to be driven into the ground, a swivel mounted on the stake and constructed to turn freely about the stake, a cord having one end attached to the swivel to enable the cord to be carried about the stake to guide the searcher in traversing in progressively increasing circles about the stake as a center, and a reel comprising a tubular member adapted to receive the shank of the stake when the device is not in use and having one end portion provided with spaced flanges cooperating with the portion of said member extending between them to form a spool on which the cord may be'wound, the other end portion of said tubular member serving as a-handle for the reel.

3. A device for use in searching for a golf ball having, in combination, a stake to be driven into the ground, a cord having one end connected with the stake so as to enable the cord to be carried about the stake to guide the searcher in traversing in progressively increasing circles about the stake as a center, and a reel to which the other end of the cord is connected for winding up the cord comprising a tubular member for receiving the shank of the stake when the device is not in use.

WALTER POWERS, 

